Combined mop and mop wringer



J. w. TATTER COMBINED MOP AND MOP WRINGER Filed Dec. 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORQ/ BYW%QW ATTORN Aug. 29, 1933.

1933- J. w. TATTER COMBINED MOP AND MOP WRINGER Filed Dec. 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNirs STATES PATEN FECE 1,924,817 ooMBiNED MOP AND MOP WRINGEB.

John W. Tatter, Detroit, Mich, assignor, by mesne assignments, of one-half to Ella I. Ingersoll, Bearbcrn, Mich.

Application December 28, 1929 Serial No. 417,074

18 Claims. (Cl. 15-120) My invention relates to improvements in mops Similar numerals refer to similar parts combined with wringer means; and the objects throughout the several views. of my improvements are, first, to provide a mop The housing portions 1 and 2 are preferably, capable of being remotely operated in its wringmade as duplicate parts which may be fastened in action with a minimum of applied energy; together by the screws 3 to form a closed end 60 second, to provide a mop having a readily rehousing which fits over the end of the handle 4 placeable mop element; third, to provide a mop and is fastened thereto by the screws 5. Each of capable of efficiently presenting its mop element the screws 3 pass through one of the housing porto the surface to be mopped irrespective of the tions 1 and 2 and are threaded into the other of height of the Operator; fourth, to pr v d a mop the housing portions 1 and 2, thus rendering pos- 65 p b f pr s in i s moi element to th ursible the use of duplicate parts for the housing face to be niopped in a crosswise direction to portions 1 and 2, The handle 4 is disclosed as the Strands of its p element; fi to p v d being made of wood but it may be made of metal a p element wi h t v r ly pl d means or other suitable material. Each of the housing wringing i D element from both of its portions 1 and 2 is made with a spherical seat 0 ends; sixth, to provide a mop element with means 6 which forms a bearing t for t Spherical for wringing efficiently in lesser time than with surface '7 on each of the gears 8 which are thus the usual means; Seventh: to provide a mop located on opposite sides of the pinion gear 9 wringing means automatically locked from movewith which they mesh and Operate by means of ment by tha pressure application of the mop the gear teeth 10 on the pinion gear 9 and the against the surface to be mopped; eighth, to pro gear teeth 11 on the gears The pinion gear 9 a mop Capable of being entered easily into is suitably connected to and provided with the Spaces of restrict area; and ninth to provifh extension portion 12 which has a bearing in the a mop wringing means haling power transmls housing portions 1 and 2, said extension porsion reduction members enclosed in a housing tion 12 being further provided with a Slot 13 for adjacent} engagement with a tongue 14 on the end of the I attain tnese co ects by the mechanism illus- Shaft It is to be noted that the diameter of trated in the accompanying drawings, in which the extension portion of the piniongear 9 is Figure 1 a side combined larger than the diameter of the shaft 15, thus mop and wringer means when in its usual oper- 5 providing a suitable surface contacting with the 1 atmg poslfilon relatlve to h sllrfa'ce to b end of the handle 4 for taking the longitudinal mopped; -g: a slde w the mop m thrust load of the pinion gear .9 when operating its wrung pos1tion and being withdrawn from a with the gears 8. The shaft 15 may be Suitably 35 Pall; f plan etevatton m provided with the hand grip portion 16. It is wrung pomtlon and p wllhdlawa from a also to be noted that the transverse thrust load a side elevatlon of me lower end of the of the pinion gear 9 in its operation will be taken and i mop elemetlti the 9 m' on the bearing in the housing portions 1 and 2 mg h w In demndmg posmon mlatlve to with which contacts the extension portion 12 of its wringing means; Fig. 5, anend elevation of the the pinion gear 9' A150 the transverse and 1Ongi mop and mop elememi the P9 elemelflt tudinal thrust loads of the gears 8 in their opering shown In dependmg posltlon @h to ation will be taken on the spherical seats 6 in the its wringing means; a plan elevaEtlon of the housing portions 1 and 2 with which contacts mop and mop SIemeFYt" the 9 elemem the spherical seats 7 of the gears 8. The handle 45 Shown m a dependlng Posmon lelatlve to 4 is of hollow construction thus permitting the 1 its wringing means; Fig. '7, a sectional view taken h ft 15 to revolvably bperate therein.

0n the line 7'7, a Sectional View Each of the gears 8 are further provided with taken o t line Fig. Said View being shaft extensions 17 which extend through and taken W h One Of the Side gears V may have a bearing seat in the walls of the hous- 50 a side elevation of one of the locking members; ing portions 1 and 2. The shaft extensions 17 Fig. 10, an end elevation of one of the locking are thus revolvably operated with the gears 8. members; and Fig. 11, a view showing the mop It is to be noted that one of the gears 8 is proelement retaining means in its partially disconvided with a pilot portion 13 which enters and nected position for receiving or removing the mop seats within arecess 19 in the other of the gears element. 8. In each end of the shaft extensions 17, a loop member 20 is mounted to provide retaining means for the mop element 21. The mop element 21 is composed of a suitable number of twisted fibrous strands 22 which are suitably fastened together to form looped portions 23 through which is inserted the looped members 20. The looped members 20 are formed to allow each of their ends to pass through and seat within holes 26 in each of the shaft extensions 17. It is to be noted that each of the shaft extensions 17 are provided with suitable grooves 24 and 25, as shown in Fig. 11, and in which is seated the lock member 27 when the looped members 20 are in their operating positions, as shown in Figs. 1, 4, 5, and 6. One end of each of the looped members 20 is formed with a retaining shoulder 28 which prevents each of the looped members 20 from being displaced through the shaft extensions 17 in one direction while the lock member 27 engages the grooves 24 and 25 of the looped members 20 and prevents the looped members 20 from being displaced through the shaft extensions 1'7 in an opposite direction. The lock member 27 may be constructed of resilient material having its fingers 30 always tending to pinch the bottom of the grooves 24 and 25 in the looped members 20 thus providinga safety lock feature.

Whenever it is desired to remove or replace a mop element 21, the lock member 27 is slidably operated out of the grooves 24 and 25 in the looped members 20, thus allowing the looped members 20 to be slidably displaced in the holes 26 to the position shown in Fig. 11, where one end 31 of the looped member 20 is free of the shaft extension 17, thus allowing the looped portion 23 of the mop element 21 to be slipped over the looped member 20 to its operating position after which the end 31 of the looped member 20 is passed through one of the holes 26 thus allowing the looped member to again assume a position where it may be restrained in its operating position by inserting the lock member 27 in the grooves 24 and 25. It is to be noted that the loop members 20 are formed with a curved base portion 29 which allows the operator to rock or rotate the combined mop unit on the floor or the surface 33 to be mopped so that the desired an gular position of the handle 4 and the shaft 16 may be automatically selected, as desired, to best suit the height of the operator. Also in the forward and return operating movements of the combined mop, the rocking or rotating movement will always allow the operator to automatically present the mop element most efiiciently to the surface to be mopped.

It is to be noted that the looped members 20 may be formed, relative to the holes 26 in the shaft extensions 17, to provide any desired angular operating position relative to the floor line, a normal angular operating position being shown in Fig. 5. Any variation of the angular operating position of the looped members 20, relative to the holes 26 in the shaft extensions 17, will provide a greater or lesser spread on the floor or surface 33, thus providing, if desired, for the use of varying lengths of mop elements 21 for particular purposes. It is to be noted that my mop provides for the retention of the mop element 21 against the surface to be mopped in a manner which allows the thrust load of the operating mopping movements to be taken transversely on each of the strands 22 of the mop element 21. This enables each strand22 to more efliciently engage the surface to be mopped by causing each strand 22 to be moved individually and collectively in a sideways movement across the surface to be mopped as contrasted with the usual inefficient method of moving the strands lengthwise along the surface to be mopped, each strand of the latter case being restricted, in the main, to a path having a Width. approximately equal to its diameter or width whereas in the former case, as disclosed by my invention, each strand has a mopping path approximately equal to its total working length.

It is also to be noted that in the actual mopping operation, the strands 22 of the mop element 21 tend to be crowded between the looped members 20 and about the rounded end of the closed end housing of the housing portions 1 and 2, thus retaining the mop element in a compact and ellicient mopping position and preventing the formation of straggling portions of the mop element 21. Also the closed end of the housing portions 1 and 2 when surrounded by the strands 22 of the mop element 21 will provide means for maintainthe center portions of the strands 22 in a more efficient mopping position and will prevent a portion of the strands 22 from being unduly .tretched by the thrust of the frictional contact with the surface 33 when being moved to and fro in operation, the strands 22 being engaged and backed up by contact against the outside surface of the closed end of the housing portions 1 and 2. After the mop element 21 has become saturated with water or moisture in the mopping operation. it can be readily removed to a position a pail or receptacle :54 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, where the mop element can be easily wrung dry exceptionally light hand pressure applied to the hand grip portion 16 of the shaft 15. With one hand oi the operator grasping the ha ie i and the other hand of the operator as ng the hand grip portion 16, the shaft 15 can revolved, the tonguel of the shaft 15 engaging the slot 13 the extension portion 12 of the pinion 9 and thereby causing the pinion gear to revolve together with the gears 8. It is to be especially noted that, as the pinion gear 9 is revolved in one direction, each of the gears 8 togethe: with their respective shaft extensions 17 and looped members 20 are revolved in opposite directions thus winding up and wringing dry the mop element 21 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The revolving of the gears 8 together with their respective shaftextensions 17 and looped members 20 in opposite directions cause a wringing action to be most efiiciently applied to each end of the mop element 21 thus not only providing an enicient means of wringing but a much quicker means of wringing than usually employed in designs in which the 111013'61'01'1161117 is anchored at one end and twisted from one of its ends only. Also it is to be noted that, by the adoption of the proper gear ratios between the pinion gear 9 and the oppositely revolving gears 8, a means is provided whereby the mop element can be efficiently wrung dry by extremely light pressures applied by the operator to the hand grip portion 15 of the shaft 15. My invention will very noticeably relieve the dirficult and disagreeable operation encountered in the wring-means of mops of the usual construction and design.

It is also to be noted that the efficient wringing action of my invention is increased by the smooth and spherical exterior shape of the closed end of the housing portions 1 and 2 which allow the strands 22 of the element 21 to be most efficiently wrapped therearound as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

It is to be noted that the compact shape and size of my invention will allow for the use of smaller pails or receptacles 34 than with the usual type of mop and its wringer means, this feature being disclosed in Fig. 3. Also the design of my invention will allow for its efilcient use in mopping in and around places of restricted area and by its shape will allow for efficient use adjacent objects resting on the floor such as the supports and legs of furniture and household appliances.

I claim:

1. In a combined mop and mop wringer, the combination of a hollow longitudinal member, housingmembers attached together and to said hollow longitudinal member, said housing mem bers being each provided with spherical seats laterally disposed relative to said hollow longitudinal member, a pair of members each provided with a spherical surface for engaging the spherical seat of one of said housing members, each of said pair of members having portions extending through said housing members, said portions being laterally disposed relative to said hollow longitudinal member, an absorbent element, means for attaching said absorbent element to the pertions of each of said pair of members extending through said housing members, a member for engaging and causing each of said pair of members to operate in opposite directions, and means for operating said last member, said last mentioncd means extending within said hollow longitudinal member.

2. In a mop wringer, the combination of a housing provided with a handle portion, a pair of reduction gear members in said housing, said pair of gear mem ers being located within said housing on an axis extending transversely to the handle portion of said housing, a pair of shaft members extending outwardly beyond said pair of gear members and said housing, each of said pair of shaft members being connected to one of said pair of gear members, and means forsimultaneously revolving said pair of gear members in opposite directions about their transversely extending axis, said means being located.

between said pair of gear members and onthe longitudinal axis of the handle portion of said housing.

3. In a mop and mop wringer, the combination of a handle member, a housing suitably supported at the end of said handle member, a pair of gear members within said housing, each of said gear members being provided with portions extending on opposite sides of said handle member, a mop element connected to the portions of said gear members extending on opposite sides of said handle members, and a handle member for operating said gear members in opposite directions to cause the ends of said mop element to revolve in opposite directions, said handle member being provided with a gear member for engaging said pair of gear members, said last mentioned gear member being located on the longitudinal centers of said first mentioned handle member and said second mentioned handle member.

4. In a combined mop and mop wringer, the combination of a handle, members extending outwardly from opposite sides of said handle, a mop element having ends oppositely disposed about said handle, the ends of said mop element being supported by said members in an approximately common transverse plane relative to said handle, and means for revolving said members and the ends of said mop element in opposite directions about an axis extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said handle.

5. In a combined mop and mop wringer, the combination of a mop elem nt, a pair of concentric handle members extending approximately at right anglesto said mop element, and means for revolving each end of said mop element in oppositedirections about an axis extending approximately transversely to the longitudinal axes :of said handle members, said means being connected to the opposite ends of said mop element, said means being operatively connected with one of said handle members.

6. In a combined mop and mop wringer, the combination of a pair of concentric handle memers, a housing at the extreme end of one of said handle members, mop supporting members extending through said housing and about an axis extending approximately at right angles to said handle members,- a mop element having its ends connected to opposite ends of said mop supporting members, a pair of gear members suitably mounted in said housing, said pair of gear membore in said housing being located on opposite sides of the longitudinal axes of said handle members, said pair of gear members being operatively connected with said mop supporting members, and a gear member located between and engaging said pair of gear members, said gear member being operatively connected with one of said handle members. a

7. In a mop and mop wringer, the combination of a handle, mop supporting members revolvably mounted on an axis extending approxi-. mately at right angles to said handle, a mop 1 element having its ends attached to the outer ends of said mop supporting members, and means for revolving the opposite ends of said mop supporting members and said mop element in opposite directions about the axis of said mop supporting members, said means including a revolvably mounted handle member extending concentric with said first mentioned handle.

8. In a mop mop wringer comprising a main handle portion, the combination'of rotatably mounted members supported by the handle portion, each of said rotatably mounted members being provided with a portion offset relative to its axis, a mop element extending transversely to the longitudinal center of the main handle portion'of the mop and mop wringe'r, said mop element being connected to the offset portion of said rotatably mounted members, and means for revolving each of said rotatably mounted memberstogether with its offset portion in opposite directions, each of the offset portions of said rotatably mounted members thereby being revolved in a plane extending parallel with thelongitudinal center of the main handle portion of the mop and mop wringer.

9. In a mop and mop wringer, the combination of a handle member revolvably mounted, a pair, of mop retaining members extending on opposite sides of said handle member, each of said mop retaining members including a gear member, a mop element having its ends supported, in its mopping position, by the outer end portions of said mop retaining members, and a gear member suitably mounted between and engaging the gear members of said mop retaining members, said last mentioned gear member being operatively connected with said handle member, said last mentioned gear member and said gear members of said mop retaining members operating to revolve each end of said mop element in opposite directions.

10. In a mop and mop wringer, the combination of a mop element, a handle member extending in a plane approximately at right angles to mop element, said handle member extending longitudinally to the upper end of the mop and inop v her, a pair of mop supporting members suitably mounted to revolve about a common axis extending approximately at right ngles to said handle members, said mop supporting members being connected to said mop elent, and means for revolving said, mop supporting members in opposite directions, said means being operatively connected with said handle member.

11-. In a mop and niop Wringer, the combination of a inop'handle, a pair of oppositely disposed members each provided with an outwardly extending portion, said outwardly extending portion extending transversely to said niop handle, a mop element suitably con nected VLth the outwardly extending portion of each of said pair of gear members, said mop elem nt being disposed parallel with the extensions of said pair 0;? gear members, said mop element being further disposed transversely to said mop handle, and means for operating each of said pair of gear members in opposite directions.

12. In a mop and mop \vringer, the combination of a housing having a main handle porti n, a revolvably inounted member in said housing, said revolvably mounted member having a handle portion extending longitudinally through the ii 5 main handle portion of said housing, a of ar "is suitably mounted in said housig, said pair of arms extending in a common transverse plane relative to the first mentioned niain handle portion of said housing, said pair of arms being engaged by said revelvably mounted member in said housing, and a single mop elenient extending transversely to the first mentioned handle portion of said housing, said mop element haying its ends suitably connected to the outer ends of said pair of arms, said mop elements having its ends located approximately in a single transversely extending plane;

13. In a map and 1110p wringer, the combination of a handle, a housing connected to one end of said handle, a pair of gear members in said housing, said members each being provided with a member xtending through one of the sides of said housing, a mop element connected to the extending members of said pair of gear members, and means for revolving said pair of ,gear embers in opposite directions to cause said ofa pair or of concentric handles being revolvably mounted,

and a mop element extending longitudinally in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal axis of said pair of concentric handles, said mop element having both of its ends operatively connected with the revolvably'mounted handle of pair of concentric handles, toprovide a 'ringing movement or each ofits ends.

15. In a mop and mop wringer, the combination of'concentric handle members, a mop elenient extending transversely to thelongitudinal axes of the concentric handle members, means for supporting the ends of said mop elementon opposite sides of the longitudinal axes of said concentric handle members, and means for revolving the ends of said mop element in opposite directions, said last-mentioned means being operatively connected with said first mentioned means and one of said concentric handle members.

16. In a mop and 1110p Wringer, the combination of a revolvably mounted handle, a pair of revolvably mounted members each provided at one of their ends With a curved base portion extending in a plane at an angle with said revolvably mounted members, said revolvably mounted members having a common axis extending approximately at ight angles With said handles,

curved base portions being located on opposite sides of the axis of said revolvably mounted handle, a mop element extending between the curved base portions of said pair of revolvably mounted. members, and means for revolving each of said pair of revolvably mounted members together with their curved base portions in opposite directions about the common axis of said revolvably lTlQlfllLed members, said means being operatively connected with pair of revolvably mounted members and said revolvably mounted handle.

17. In a mop and inop Wringer, the combination of a pair of concentric handle members, a pair of revolvably mounted-members each provided with a mop attachment portion at one of their ends, the mop attachment portion of each of said pair of rotatably mounted members be ing supported onopposite sides of the axes of said concentric handles and in oppositely inclined positions relative to one another when the mop and mop Wringer is in its mopping position, said pair of rotatably mounted members having a common axis extending approximately at right angles to the axes of said concentric handles, a mop element connected to the mop attachment portions of each of said rotatably mounted members, and means for revolving said pair of rotatably mounted members in opposite directions, said means being operatively connected with one of said concen ric handles. I

18. In a mop and mop wringer for mopping. a flatsurface, the combination of a handle, a pair of spaced mop retaining members; said mop re- 

